Zero &#34;g&#34; distillation unit



Feb. 9, 1965 K. WEISWURM BJWUZ ZERO "G" DISTILLATION UNIT Filed Feb. 11,1963 i 2 Sheets-Sheet l IN V EN TOR. MOA/1940 W'lf MIU/9M 1G 'gaaf l J l8 4295 5o Feb. 9, i965 K. WEISWURM ZERO "G" DISTILLATION UNIT 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 11, 1963 3,169,162 ZERO G DlS'IiLlLATlUN UNITKonrad Weiswurrn, 313 Canova Lane, Dayton, @litio Filed Feb. 11, 1963,Ser. No. 257,802 3 Claims. (Cl. M12- 64) (Granted under Title 35, US.Code (1952), sec. 266) The invention described herein may bemanufactured and used by or for the United States Government forgovernmental purposes without payment to me of any royalty thereon.

This invention concerns a water distillation apparatus and method foruse under both gravity and nongravity conditions.

The control and processing of liquids in the absence of the force ofgravity makes it necessary to adapt containers to controlled,continuously confined disposition of the fluids and liquids as they arebeing processed. One of the problems encountered in the coniinement ofhuman beings in enclosures of limited dimensions is the bulk and thenecessity for an adequate supply of water during extended periods oftime.` The humanV anatomy requires about l to 11/2 liters or quarts ofwater during each 24 hours of time to maintain normal human functions.

The object of the present invention is to use the physical and thechemical properties and characteristics of water and of sponge rubber inaccomplishing an adequate supply of Water for humans conhned in a whollyenclosed environment.

The distillation unit that embodies the present inven-v tion isillustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein: FIG. 1 is a sectionalView in elevationv of a retort and the condensing equipment thatV embodythe present invention;

lFIG. 2` is a sectional view taken along the line 2-,-2 african y g FIG.3 is a sectional View taken along theline 3*-3 of FIG. 1;'

FIG. 4 is an elevational sectional view that is partly diagrammatic, ofan infiatable mechanism removed froml the device in FIG. l, andindicated to be in its distended state; Y

view of the device in FIG. 5 is an elevational sectional FIG. 4 in itscollapsed state; and

FIG, 6 isa plan view from the line 6-d of FlG. l,

VThe device that is shown in FIG. 1 of the drawings comprises a hollowstainless steel outer or iirstcylinder 1 that is'closedv from above byaheader, atop or Va lid 2 by a plurality of screws 3, 3', etc;Thejunction is sealed by a rubber O ring 4 that is positioned betweenopposed faces of theflanges and 6 of thecylinder and the lid,respectively. A spiral pipe? is positioned around the outside of thefirst cylinder 1 to maintain the cylinderfat a predetermined temperaturebyair ordother iiuid that is passed lthrough the pipe from afoot or handoperated pump, not shown, thatis disposed outside of the .as sembly andattached therewith through the pipe 'con-V nection 8. u l

Midway between the endszof the first cylinder 1 is a hollow manifold 1lithat is welded to the surface of the Y cylinder in sealed relationtherewith. The interior of the manifold 1li is connected to the outsideof the apparatus through a funnel 11 that is provided with a valve 12.The interior of the manifold 1d is connected to the inside of the firstcylinder 1 through a desired plurality of apertures 13. l

The inside lateral surface of the first cylinder 1 is contacted byalayer of iirst sponge rubber 14 thatis held thereagainst by a stainlesssteel wire mesh with its axial edges screwed to the inner surface oftherst cylinder 1,' such. .that the sponge rubber 14 may be replaced.

The`.measured quantity of crude or rawwater that is nited States Patentfce fed into the funnel 11 is just that absorbed and retained by thesponge rubber 14 by the surface tension of the water and the capillaryaction of the sponge rubber, to avoid the contamination of the endproduct. A stainless steel ring 16 of L-section preferably is disposedat the axially lower end of the wire mesh 15 by having its radiallyouter edge welded continuously along its periphery to the inner surfaceof the outer cylinder 1.

The interior of the first cylinder 1, sealed by the lid 2, is a closedsystem and, hence, Water vapor that passes through the interstices ofthe wire mesh 15 is confined within the device.

The second or inner cylinder 2d is mounted coaxiallywithand inside ofthe rst cylinder 1. The second or inner cylinder 2li) is interruptedalong its periphery by a desired plurality of axially extending posts21, 21', etc., such as the six posts that are shown in FIG. 2. Thepostsproject radially of the assembly.

The lower end of the inner cylinder 2l) is supported from below by aplate 19 with a pivot 28 at its center. The plate 19 is Welded to thelower end of the tank 2li. The lower end of thetank Ztl and the plate 19are concave from below to prevent distention from pressure inside thetank Ztl. The pivot 28 is sealed by the O ring 2d in a bearing ring 25.The bearing ring 25 is welded tothe bottom of the outer cylinder 1. Thebottom end of the cylinder 1 is concave from above to successfullywithstand pressure gradients to which the apparatus is exposed to inuse. A locating plate 29 is secured by unsymmetricallyrmounting screws9, 92 etc.7 to avoid misassembly, on the bottom ends of the bearing ring25 and of the pivot 28.

. The upper end of the inner cylinder Ztl is closed by a sheet metal top26 that is concave from above, after a spaceoccupying closed cylinder 18is installed inside of 'Y the cylinder 2l), with spacers, not shown,therebetween.

A pivoting boss V22 is at the center of the cylinder top 26. The boss 22serves as a pivot for a pin 44 that extends downwardly from an uppershaft 54 part of a plate 36 to which is attached a distilled waterextracting inflatable rubber bag.

The plate 316- upper shaft54 is journalled in a bearing 51with an G ringS2 sealing the junction. The bearing 51 is positioned centrally of andis part of the header or lid 2.` l

The distilled water extraction plate 36 has a laterally extending lowerarm that terminates away from the plate g 36 in a ring portion 49 thatis journailed forrotation on the pivot 28 and is supported by the upperedge of the Vring 25. A'strap Si) permits the disassembly of the lowerarm ofthe plate 36, when desired.`

A vsecond sponge rubber section 27, '27', etc., is cemented to theradially outer face of each axially extending arc of the inner cylinder2li between each pair of axially extending posts 21, 21', etc.

The temperature-gradient between the second sponge rubber sections 27,27', etc., and the cylindrical rst sponge-rubber 14 is such that watervapor that passes through the meshes of the wire mesh 15, is condensed'to its liquid state in the second sponge rubber sections.

The resultant distillate water is retained within the interstices of thesponge rubber sections 27, 27, etc. This balanced relation is indicatedby a temperature reading instrument 3i) and a pressure readinginstrument 31 that are shown mounted Von the outer cylinder lid 2. The

Y temperature of the sponge sections 27, 27', etc., below the `dew pointof Water causes distillate water to be absorbed by the secondcoolsponge.

`The low temperature of the sponge rubber sections 27, 27', etc., ismaintained by a cooling medium that flows through the pair of pipes 32and 33 into and out of the inner cylinder Ztl, around the third cylinder1S.' There is illustratively about 1i-inch clearance between thecylinders Ztl and liti. The cooled sponge rubber sections 27, 27', etc.,become saturated with the pure water distillate that results from thecondensation in the cool rubber of the water vapor in the closed system.

Each section occupied by the sponge rubber 27, 27', etc., between pairsof the posts 2l, 2l', etc., is successively occupied for distillatewater extraction purposes by an axially extending stainless steeldistilled water eX- traction plate 36 with an inflatable rubber bag 37mounted on its radially inner face. The rubber bag 37 is inated anddeflated through the pipe 38 from outside of the assembly, by a hand ora foot operated air pump, or the like, not shown. The successiveoccupation of sections of the device by the rubber bag 37 isaccomplished by the operation of a handle 43 that has its attached endsecured by screws 53, 53 to the top of the shaft 54.

The rubber bladder or bag 37 is designed to distend in an axiallygraduated` manner to advance the distillate water ahead of it from thetop to the bottom of each sponge rubber section Z7, such as by thecontour or the bag 37, by having thinner rubber at the top than at thebottom of the bag, or the like. The purpose of the graduated distentionot the bag 37 is to press the distillate water out of each sponge rubbersection ahead of the bag distention from the top to the bottom of eachsection.

The distillate water product llows from the sponge rubber sections 27,27, etc., through a screen 39 into the gutter 4d and from the gutter dllthrough the pipe fil, past the valveV i2 and into the distillate watertank or reservoir 43. rIlle distillate water may be withdrawn at willfrom the tank 43 by partial pressure applied to the closed system as bysuction applied by operation of a hand pump or a foot pump, not shown.The same pump is used initially to establish the pressure diflerentialin lowering vthepressure within the closed system to below the vaporpressure of the raw water that is caused to saturate the radiallyoutermost sponge rubber lli. The sponge rubber ld is illustratively1/z-inch thick whereas the sponge rubber section 2.7'is 3Adnchthiclt toprovide about equal storage capacities. ber 27 up out of the trough'lltlto minimize water loss by capillary attraction.- The screen 39 may bereplaced by another .type of flap-valve it preferred.

The draining of the distillate water from each sponge rubber section 27is followed by the deflation of the rubber bladder 3'7 as is indicatedinFIG. 5, such as by a low pressure applied through the pipeL 38 or thelike. The operator then'lifts with one hand the section `spaceregistering'rpin 45 against the yielding resistance of its The screen 39keeps the sponge rubl successfully operating embodiment of the presentinvention and that similarly operating modilications may be made thereinwithout departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

I claim:

l. A water distillation device that comprises a downwardly closed hollowstainless steel first outer cylinder; a lid removably secured to theouter first cylinder for closing the interior of the lirst cylinder toits environment as a closed system; a spiral pipe positioned around theoutside of the first cylinder for controlling the temperature thereof; ahollow manifold welded to the first cylinder between the ends thereofwith the interior of the manitold opening into the interior of the iirstcylinder; a raw water receiving tunnel connected from the outside of thedevice to the inside ot the manifold; a first valve releasably sealingthe tunnel from outside of thedevice; a tirst layer of sponge rubbercontacting the lateral inner surlace of the first cylinder andaccessible to the interior of the manifold for the absorption of rawwater from `the funnel by the lirst sponge by capillary attraction; astainless steel wire mesh removably retaining the sponge rubber againstthe lateral inner surface of the tirst cylinder; a second cylindermounted within the tirst cylinder; a plurality ofaxially extending postssecured to the radially outer surface of the second cylinder andextending axially thereor`;.a distillate water absorbing second yspongerubber section cemented to the radially outer face of each axiallyVextending arc of the second inner cylinder between each pair of posts;an axially extending stainless steel plate shaped transversely asacurved section of a cylinder and positioned between the first and secondcylinders and with. an inllatable rubber bag that is also within thefirst outer cylinder and on the radially inner face of o the steel platemounted on its radially inner face to be iniiated and delated fromoutside the assembly and the rubber bag being adapted to distend ingraduated'manner to press the distillate water out of the second spongerubber section ahead ol the bags distention; a distillate watercollecting gutter at the .terminalv inflation axial end of the rubberbag; a pipe leading from the gutter to outside ofthe assembly; and adistillate Water tank outside of the waterdistillatio'n assembly andvalved through theV pipe to the gutter.

spring 46 up out Vof its section aperture 47, while with Y the otherhand he "grasps the handle i3 and rotates the deiiated bladder assemblyuntil the registering pin l5 seats into another section aperture d'7 andthe process is repeated to press another charge of distillate water intothe tank or reservoir 43. Distillate water from the tank d3 is processedfurther as preferred.

The filter 55 is a ceramic filter that prevents water from passingthrough the iilter and outside of the tank 43, when a pump is connectedthereto in lowering the pressure in the tank d3.

The removal of water from the tank 43 for its further puriiication anduse, is accomplished by closing the valve It is to' be understood thatthe device and its operation that are disclosed herein are submitted asdescribing aV 2. The water distillation apparatus comprising a funnel'for receiving raw water, a valvefor opening'and closingV the funnel,ramanifold receiving raw water from theV Y funnel when the valve is open,a rst cylinder with its interior communicating with the interior of themanifold for receiving raw water therefrom, a raw water receivingreplaceable first sponge in communication with the 1nterior of themanifold for absorbing raw water therefrom,

means for heating the'v rawVwater V,sponge for vaporizing Watertherefrom `into the interior ofrthe first cylinder, a second cylindermounted within the first cylinder, a distillate water liquifying secondsponge between the interior surface of the first cylinder and theoutside of the secondcylinder, temperature depressing means lowering thetemperature of the second sponge below the dew point of water that isabsorbed asdistillate water collected by capillary action and retainedwithin the second sponge, means selectively compressing the secondsponge for extracting the distillate water therefrom, gutter meansVreceiving distillate water from the second sponge on thecompressionthereof, and distillate water tank means jreceiving distillatewater'frorn the gutter means on the application of negative pressure tothe distillate watertank that is below the vapor pressure between thefirst and second cylinders. I

.3. The ,process of accomplishing the Vdistillation of aV liquid havingavapor 'pressure within a .closed system by saturiatingbycapillaryfaction within the closed system a'iirst spongewith the rawliquid, maintaining the iirst sponge ata temperature at which the liquidpasses trom 5 its liquid phase to its Vapor phase within the closedsystem, maintaining a second sponge Within the closed system in vaporcommunication with the rst `sponge at a temperature at which the vaporfrom the liquid in the rst sponge changes from its Vapor phase to itsliquid phase, saturating by capillary action the second sponge with the.distillate ofthe liquid from the rst sponge, pressing the distillateout of the second sponge into a distillate conducting gutter, andwithdrawing the distillate from the gutter by applying a partialpressure to the closed system.

No references cited.

NORMAN YUDKOFF, Primary Examiner.

GEORGE D. MITCHELL, Examiner.

3. THE PROCESS OF ACCOMPLISHING THE DISTILLATION OF A LIQUID HAVING AVAPOR PRESSURE WITHIN A CLOSED SYSTEM BY SATURATING BY CAPILLARY ACTIONWITHIN THE CLOSED SYSTEM A FIRST SPONGE WITH THE RAW LIQUID, MAINTAININGTHE FIRST SPONGE AT A TEMPERATURE AT WHICH THE LIQUID PASSES FROM ITSLIQUID PHASE TO ITS VAPOR PHASE WITHIN THE CLOSED SYSTEM, MAINTAINING ASECOND SPONGE WITH THE CLOSED SYSTEM IN VAPOR COMMUNICATION WITH THEFIRST SPONGE AT A TEMPERATURE AT WHICH THE VAPOR FROM THE LIQUID IN THEFIRST SPONGE CHANGES FROM ITS VAPOR PHASE TO ITS LIQUID PHASE,